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Peerless Parker pushes for glory

THE first leg of speedway’s Scottish Cup meeting ended in drama worthy of any finale in the competition’s 55-year history. On their home track at Armadale, Edinburgh led by four points going into the final heat. Their top two riders, Theo Pijper and William Lawson, were up against Glasgow’s ace, Shane Parker, and the Finn, Kauko Nieminen. After two corners Nieminen was battling with the Edinburgh riders when he crashed into the barriers. With Nieminen nursing a damaged shoulder and broken collarbone, the remaining riders returned to the start.

With the first three winning three, two and one points in descending order, Parker now had to beat his two opponents just to tie the final heat 3-3 and keep the deficit at four points going into today’s decider. As the tape rose, he lurched over his bike and reached the corner after a race-winning start. It was a clutch situation